


The Faceless

by MortalRemedy



Series: The Arcane Bond [1]
Category: Dishonored (Video Games)
Genre: AU where everything is the same but Daud helps Corvo, Cullero, Dishonored 2, Eventual Daud/Corvo, Low Chaos (Dishonored), Low Chaos Corvo Attano, Low Chaos Daud, M/M, Rulfio is a lil shit, Serkonos, Spoilers, old man Corvo, old man Daud, slight sexual tension, snarky Daud, tension building
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-19
Updated: 2016-12-19
Packaged: 2018-09-09 18:20:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,877
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8907028
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MortalRemedy/pseuds/MortalRemedy
Summary: Wanted for treason against the Empire, Corvo flees Dunwall with the help of Meagan Foster to Serkonos, intent on striking down Delilah's support. Along the way, Meagan mentions a particular band set up in Cullero known as The Faceless, and that they may be able to help Corvo gather more information on who exactly Delilah is.





	

Corvo Attano, once more stripped of his title as Lord Protector, found himself feeling rusty after fifteen years of cushioned living in Dunwall Tower. His joints, once strong, now felt tight, creaking if bent too long. His sight, once crisp and clear, now took a little longer to focus. And his hearing, he noticed, had also dwindled, for it took him far too long to register someone locking the door behind him.

No, time had not been kind to dear Corvo.

-

In under three weeks Corvo's life had taken a drastic turn for the worse. The Duke of Serkonos had brought a woman named Delilah to the anniversary of the late Empress Jessamine's assassination and unleashed a coup to take over the throne, framing Empress Emily and her Lord Protector of the horrid acts of The Crown Killer. Now Delilah sat upon the throne in Dunwall while Emily was trapped in stone, with only Corvo left to try and return everything back to how it should be. 

He had met Meagan Foster at the docks in his escape, and the woman had offered Corvo her help, along with the services of her ship. She explained her reason for being there, how she tried to warn him of the oncoming attack to the throne, and that she had come a moment too late. She told him that all was not lost, and that if they took down Delilah's support, starting with The Crown Killer, that they could take back the throne and save Emily. It was there that they began their voyage to Serkonos, to the city of Karnaca where the chaos had begun.

While Corvo grieved over the loss of his daughter, Meagan kept her distance, captaining her vessel, The Dreadful Wale, to the southern Isles of Serkonos. She kept her eye on the male, a suggestion of a plan forming in the back of her mind. If they were going to do this, perhaps it would be best to get as much help as they could. And if Corvo knew that she and Sokolov were going to pursue this course of action before... Well, maybe Corvo would be more willing to give it a shot.

After a week passed, Meagan could see determination flair up in the older man's eyes, and proceeded to pitch the idea to the Lord Protector. 

Meagan explained that she and Sokolov had been looking into a bar in the coastal town of Cullero where Corvo might be able to find some information. Word was that it was run by a band of individuals, known as The Faceless, who offered their services to those in need. From helping the little man against the unfair upper class to collecting precious information, this band did nearly anything asked of them - sometimes free of charge. Perhaps a visit to them could turn up some useful information on the woman named Delilah and all those she had in her favor. 

Within two weeks the Dreadful Wale was docked in the sunny city of Cullero, and Corvo found himself donning his mask once more, welcoming the disguise with ease. He stayed mostly to the shadows after catching sight of his own wanted poster. Word was spreading fast, especially if they were already putting up posters in Serkonos. 'They're worried,' he thought to himself, before ducking into an empty apartment. But he let his mind drift to the band of men he was on the hunt for, needing to focus on the mission at hand.

'Perhaps this group really did have good intentions,' he mused as he slunk out the other side of the apartment building, checking his surrounding before making his way down a tight alley. But how would they feel when the Lord Protector entered their establishment, a man, once again, wanted for treason against the throne? Would they be willing to offer their services, assuming they could, or would they turn him over to the City Watch without a second thought? Assuming they were on good terms with the City Watch.

Though, Corvo wasn't even sure if they acted legally in their work. From what he gathered from Meagan, thievery and blackmail seemed to be a highly common service they provided. 

A chill ran down Corvo's spine as he felt eyes upon his back, and he turned to see a street beggar watching him intently. Corvo's left hand clenched in a fist, and he found himself desperate to blink away to the nearest roof as the beggar leaned forward, getting a better look at him.

"Why do you hide your face behind that mask? Are you in trouble?" The older male asked, his voice scratchy as his head tilted to the side. 

"I- no, I just-" 'Stupid,' Corvo internally scolded, taking a few steps away from the man. He shouldn't be talking to the beggar, he needed to keep going, needed to-

"Are you in need of The Faceless?"

Corvo froze, looking back toward the older man. "... Yes," he admitted, taking a quick glance around before stepping closer towards the man. Perhaps this was his ticket in. "I've... I've lost my daughter. I was hoping to find them, to see if they'll help me find who took her from me." 

The man blinked slowly up at Corvo, moving to rub at his unruly beard. "Ten coins and I'll point you in the right direction. Even give you the code so you can walk right in to talk to someone who can help you." 

The amount of coin was trivial, being that Corvo had returned to the old habit of pocketing any loose change he could find, or small valuables he didn't think would be missed.

The man smiled, nodding his head as Corvo gave him double the amount. "You're a kind man, sir, thank you. Go to the quarantine four streets down from here, you can't miss it. There should be men around the gate. Go up to one of them and say 'I remember a fish market that used to be around here,' they'll do the rest." 

Corvo nodded, giving the gentleman his thanks before slinking off into the shadows once again. He hoped dearly that he wasn't walking into some damn trap, he only had three sleep darts at hand...

The beggar's information was accurate, and Corvo found the quarantine blockade right away, along with two men in finely tailored clothes idling right beside it. He took a deep breath and sheathed his weapons before walking out of the alley way with a sense of purpose. 

He watched as the men glanced up at his footsteps. Their eyes widened and they stood straighter, fully alert. They were younger than himself, both looking to be in their mid thirties. 

"What are you doing here?" the black haired male asked, and Corvo took note of how his hand hovered over the stock of his pistol. 

"I remember a fish market that used to be around here," Corvo spoke up, making his gruff voice heard to the two as he stood before them. He watched as they exchanged a questioning glance between one another.

"All that's left... are the flies." the one with brown hair replied, his tone holding an air of confusion. Perhaps these weren't the men he was looking for-

"What business do you have with The Faceless?" he continued, eyeing Corvo curiously as his black haired partner moved toward the blockade. 

"I'm hoping they can help me find someone." Corvo watched as the man took note of the area before he opened the gate, beckoning him inside. 

"Vladko, stay at your post, I'll send Rulfio out to you," the man at the gate instructed, letting Corvo slip inside.

"Yes, Jenkins," the brown haired male, Vladko, answered, his eyes on them until the gate closed. 

Jenkins was quiet as he led Corvo down the empty street, and Corvo noticed the stiffness in the other’s posture. As if reading his mind, Jenkins coughed. 

"We're not used to visitors coming in masks, especially not like yours," he explained, offering Corvo a crooked smile. "So forgive us if we seem a bit on edge." 

He nodded, though made no move to discard his mask as they made their way over to the pub, muffled chatter reaching their ears. Outside the door was another man, and Corvo could see the silvery lines of scars decorating his hands and neck against his tanned skin. His eyes landed on Corvo and Jenkins, and his body stiffened, much like the others. He became calm when Jenkins spoke up. "I've got this, Vladko needs you on patrol duty." 

The man, Rulfio, Corvo gathered, nodded quickly before making his way over to the barricade, though not without taking one more look at the Lord Protector. "He's not going to like this," he mumbled, walking off before Corvo could question him. 

"Come on. You'll want to speak to our master." Jenkins waved for Corvo as he opened the door, letting the masked assailant walk in first. 

Corvo stepped inside the pub, and all chatter immediately died as every eye turned to stare at him. He felt the tension in the room rise as men and woman of various ages watched him with bated breath. A tell-tale click echoed though the crowded room and only then did Corvo curse under his breath.

He did not have enough sleep darts for this. 

His left hand twitched, waiting for the violence to begin, but nothing happened. The patrons remained seated, watching him warily as his eyes darted around the room, taking in all possible routes of escape.

He saw none.

"Master?" Jenkins spoke up behind him, just as Corvo's eyes traveled over to the bar, resting on the only person who had his back toward them. "We have a visitor."

Corvo took in the person before him; the hunched shoulders, the slicked-back hair with streaks of grey mixed in brown. How the man took a deep draw of the cigarette in his gloved hand before snubbing it out in the ash tray.

Corvo took a breath before taking a step forward, only to regret it instantly. 

He felt the power of the void surround him just before the wind got knocked from him. In the blink of an eye, Corvo was flat on his back, his hands pinned above his head and a heavy weight on his chest. He struggled, only able to grunt as the male above him ripped the mask from his face. 

"Daud," Corvo hissed, glaring daggers up at the man as he struggled beneath a knee pressed firmly against his chest. An old flame within him flickered back to life as he stared up at the man that murdered his lover fifteen years ago, that caused Dunwall to spiral out of control after Jessamine's death. It was there he had to remind himself that Daud wasn't all to blame, that he merely took a job offered him, one that he came to regret. 

He remembered how torn he felt when Daud had asked for his life, the thought of revenge fresh in his mind, and how he had sheathed his sword to spare him. Fifteen years passed under Emily's rule and not once had there been any mention of the whalers, nor of Daud. There were times that Corvo would find his mind drifting to the man, of what ever became of him.

This should not have been any surprise to him, and looking back on it all, it just made sense that Daud and his whalers had taken up shop in another corner of the Isles. Corvo felt his brow soften, allowing the lingering hate to seep from his body as he studied the male atop him. Daud had aged little from when Corvo had last seen him; his hair and a few age lines around his eyes and mouth the only apparent marker for how much time had passed. Perhaps his time in Serkonos had been kind to Daud, especially if his crew had turned over a new leaf - if the stories were true. 

"Isn't this just the surprise. Never thought I'd have the honor of meeting you again, bodyguard," Daud spoke, his voice just as Corvo remembered. The older man nodded to the room and Corvo could hear the patrons of the pub blink away, save for the bar keep and Jenkins. Three on one made for better odds, though he wouldn't be surprised if Daud's group remained close by. 

He took a moment, slowly piecing together his thoughts as he eyed Daud. His pride screamed at him to leave, that he didn't need help, from The Outsider or from the man above him. But he knew otherwise. 

If he were younger, if he were the man he had been fifteen years ago, then he knew he could trust himself to take down the support network Delilah had woven. But he wasn't. His knees creaked and he knew he wasn't as sharp as he had been, and he had no idea how to even handle Delilah. And, despite how he hated to admit it, he knew someone like Daud would be a tremendous help. And thanks to The Outsider, he was now aware that Daud knew something about Delilah that he himself didn't. 

He needed Daud's help. And despite the grief that still tore at his heart over Jessamine's murder and Daud's involvement, he found himself hoping for the other man's agreement in a truce.

"There's been a coup," Corvo grunted, taking a shallow breath in an attempt to breathe around the pressure of Daud's knee on his chest. "Emily... Emily's been dethroned...by a witch named Delilah."

Daud's brows knit together for a moment, a brief sense of... something flashing in his eyes before he let off a bit on Corvo's chest. "We've heard," he admitted, his voice scratchy, and the bar tender shifted uncomfortably. "Another coup during your service as Lord Protector. This is the second time this has happened, Attano. I'm beginning to think you're not cut out for that title." The corner of Daud's lips twitched upwards as Corvo bristled beneath him. 

Corvo grit his teeth, his hands flexing beneath Daud's grip. Oh how he'd love to punch that infuriating smirk off the assassin's lips. 

"My men had no involvement in the coup, if that's why you're here," Daud spoke, his gruff voice drawing Corvo back to the conversation. "We were surprised along with the rest of the empire. So why don't you and your little Empress scurry back home to Dunwall-"

"Delilah cast Emily in stone."

Corvo watched as Daud froze, the assassin's words dying in his throat as The Lord Protector cut him off. He watched as Daud's jaw clenched before he felt Daud release his wrists and pull back.

"Leave us," the older male called out, and Corvo heard Jenkins blink away, before both his and Daud's eyes settled on the bar keep. 

"But sir-"

"We need to discuss matters at hand, Thomas. I trust you and the others to act accordingly should anything break out between us." Daud stood, brushing off his slacks from where he was kneeling as Thomas blinked away. "You've got my attention, bodyguard, now tell me why you're here." He walked back to the bar and pulled out a cigarette, lighting it before he sat down. 

Corvo let out a grunt as he stood to his feet. "I came here to ask for help." 

"Obviously."

Corvo furrowed his brow as he made his way over toward the bar to sit beside the assassin. "Delilah was brought to Dunwall by the Duke of Serkonos, who introduced her as Jessamine's older sister. I tried to kill her as soon as the guards began to attack, but my blade to her heart did nothing. I had no choice but to come here and dig up any information I could on how to stop her, and take down her support network." He eyed Daud as the man took a deep breath, his grey eyes focused blankly before him. Was he even paying attention? "Along the way I heard tale of The Faceless, figured if anyone could help me out it would be them."

"And what makes you think we'll be willing to help you?" Daud studied him intently, and Corvo sat a little straighter. 

"Because a friend of ours with black eyes let slip that you know a thing or two about Delilah."

Daud's lip curled, grumbling under his breath as he flicked ash off the edge of his cigarette, "I do." Corvo watched as Daud moved to grab a bottle and a glass, pouring himself a drink. "Ran into her back in Dunwall, thanks to the black-eyed bastard's meddling. Ended up trapping her in the void with her own painting and thought that would be the last of her." He took a swig, "apparently I was wrong."

If Corvo didn't know better, it almost sounded like Daud was whining. "Any idea how she could have escaped?" he asked, and Daud glanced back at him. 

"If I thought her escape was possible, I would have taken any action to prevent that from happening. Believe me, Delilah was a dangerous target, and I thought I had handled the situation appropriately."

"Why not just kill her?" Corvo felt a chill run down his spine at the piercing look Daud shot his way. 

"Why not finish me off when you had the chance? Why walk away, knowing that I had killed your beloved Empress?" Daud sighed, turning as he took a deep drag of his cigarette. "Besides, if what you said is true, then running her through with my blade would have only pissed her off."

"You'd be right," Corvo grunted, moving to rub at his face, his stubble scratching at the palm of his hand. He knew he could use Daud's help, especially if the assassin had dealt with the witch in question before. If he could just persuade him to help-

"Alright. When do we set sail?" Daud asked as he stubbed out his cigarette, his words catching Corvo off guard.

"What?"

"Our ship. For fucks sake, Attano, keep up. I assume you want my help, otherwise you would have left by now. When do we leave?"

Corvo sputtered briefly, unsure whether to snap back at Daud or to thank him. He took a quick breath, gathering his thoughts before simply choosing to answer him. "As soon as you're ready. Meagan is just stocking up on supplies in town, so we should be able to set sail as soon as she's finished."

The assassin gave Corvo a nod before snapping his fingers. On command the bar keep, Thomas, reappeared, standing tall for his master. "Yes, sir."

"I'm putting you in charge, Thomas. Seems like I've got some unfinished business to see to," he informed his second in command and took to his feet, "I'll return as soon as I see it finished."

Thomas glanced between them, a clear sense of unease present on his face. "Master, if I may, allow me to come with you-" His voice cut off at the wave of Daud's hand.

"I need you to keep everyone in check. I trust you to take control and step up as leader to the men should anything happen." Daud grabbed his lighter off the table, slipping it into the breast pocket of his black vest as he turned to Corvo. "You can wait here, I'll be down as soon as I gather my equipment." 

Corvo shifted uncomfortably when Daud left him alone with Thomas, watching the hands of the nearest clock as he waited for his return. Five, eight, ten minutes passed before he heard the telling sound of the void behind him and turned to look at the assassin. Corvo swallowed thickly as he took in the familiar sight of Daud, eyeing his deep red leather coat. 

"No one will bat an eye, my men nor I have given the civilians of Serkonos any reason to fear these uniforms," Daud assured Corvo, their eyes locking onto one another as he caught the bodyguard staring. "Here." It was then that Corvo noticed his mask in Dauds' hands, having forgotten about it in the midst of their scuffle. The Lord Protector offered his thanks and slipped his mask back on, nodding to Daud once it was secure.

"Lead the way, bodyguard," Daud spoke, gesturing over toward the pub door.

-

"What are you doing?" a voice rang out, nearly causing Thomas to jump out of his skin. The whaler with long, blond hair had spun around, eying Rulfio leaning against a wooden support beam in their quarters. A crooked smirk slipped onto the tan-skinned whaler's lips, realizing he had caught Daud's Second in Command going against their master's orders. "You're following after Daud, aren't you?" 

Thomas shot a pointed glare at Rulfio before returning to his trunk. "I don't trust Attano alone with Daud. I want to be there, just in case anything were to happen," he admitted, pulling out his old assassin gear and belts. 

"So you're going to leave us alone here? By ourselves? You know we can't be trusted, Thomas. Might throw a party, make a big mess of the pub," Rulfio teased, chuckling as Thomas groaned. 

"That's why I'm putting Jenkins in charge." 

"You wound me, Thomas," Rulfio spoke, his hand pressing over his heart in mock sincerity.

"We both know he's the more behaved between you two," Thomas continued, ignoring the other whaler's words. "Besides, I won't be gone long."

"So that's that? You're just going to head out? And what if he catches you?" Rulfio asked, unbothered as he watched Thomas change. "Do you even know where they're going?"

"Karnaca," came Thomas's answer, earning a raised brow from Rulfio. "Attano mentioned The Duke. Don't look at me like that, I wasn't going to stray far from Daud when there was a possible threat to him in the base."

"Breaking so many rules today, Thomas. Such a bad boy." 

"Go find Jenkins to bother," Thomas grumbled as he picked up his gas mask and slid it on. Thomas looked back to the other man after he opened the window beside his bed. "I need to get going now if I'm to make it down to Karnaca before they arrive by boat. I trust you to tell Jenkins of his duties, Rulfio?" 

Rulfio shrugged, moving to rub at his back. "I guess. Go run after 'daddy' like a good boy, now." He smirked, laughing deeply as Thomas flipped him off before blinking off into the night. 

Rulfio pulled his hand back, smiling down at his crossed fingers before turning to go find Jenkins. He cursed as he saw Yuri behind him.

"Where's Thomas going?" Yuri asked, a brow raising as Rulfio strode over to the younger whaler. 

"The question you should be asking is where Thomas, Jenkins, and I are going."

"What? I'm confused, Rulfio, if you're all leaving, who are we going to report to?"

"That's where you come in!Congratulations, Yuri, you're in charge of The Faceless until we get back," Rulfio smiled, smacking the red head on the shoulder before moving to slip past him and through the door, leaving a befuddled Yuri in his wake.


End file.
